Socially sensitive research

AO1

• Socially sensitive research refers to research that has ethical implications beyond the research situation and may affect the participants from a study and/or individuals or groups within society 

• Sieber and Stanley (1988) define SSR as ‘studies in which there are potential consequences or implications, either directly for the participants in the research or for the class of individuals represented by the research’. 

• When findings are published, their impact and use in public policies should be considered. 

Cognitive

• Reconstructive memory influenced by schemas – culture, past experiences. Police cognitive interview technique, lack of leading questions increases the reliability of eyewitness testimony. It has been found that children are reliable to give eyewitness testimonies. Impact of not believing the victim may make people scared to come forwards 

• Alzheimer’s research as socially sensitive – whether or not their symptoms can be improved or reduced, effects the treatment of these individuals. Cognitive psychology has explored aspects of Alzheimer's, identifying cognitive deficits linked to losses in the hippocampus, frontal and temporal lobes – negative image of people with the condition, threatening their dignity. Nevertheless, this research is valuable in improving quality of life through the development of treatments/help - research with potential to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s (Boots episodic boxes) 

• Baddeley: application of results to education through intelligence questions, based on knowledge that LTM encodes semantically 

Social

• Agency theory implies that people may be excused from their behaviour – biological existence of an agentic state suggests people struggle to resist authority – implications for responsibility. Removes the idea of free will and decision (shown some people to resist). Treatment of individuals in the SS, soldiers in My Lai massacre 

• Jigsaw classrooms, idea of working together, superordinate goals   

• Sherif: suggestion that prejudice is based off of conflict/competition and that applying this to the wider world could end prejudice through superordinate goals. Sherif’s study did not consider severe emotional and social prejudices such as racism and homophobia; this discounts complex history and emotions. Does not investigate the complex interplay of culture and personality on prejudice – therefore a reductionist approach to a complex matter. RCT could be seen to ‘justify’ discrimination by identifying underlying reasons for tensions – idea that discriminatory behaviour is legitimate as there is a genuine scarcity of resource 

Biological

• Raine's study on the biological basis of criminality. The scans showed differing glucose metabolism in various cortical and sub-cortical regions compared with non-murderers and several brain regions were identified that had not been previously linked to violence. Implication is that some murderers may be deemed unable to control their behaviour – socially sensitive as used to support changes in public policy, issues of responsibility, whether or not rehabilitation is effective. (Validity issues). Importance in protecting people from potential violent offenders – self-fulfilling prophecy 

• Hormone and evolutionary explanation excuses male violence, insufficient explanation for women. Stereotypes of men as aggressive and controlling over women 

Clinical

• Methods of diagnosis and classification exposed to be poor by Rosenhan, use of language descriptors. Cultural issues of diagnosis – largely based off of Western norms and standards 

• Control of disorders through drug treatments, social control chemical straitjacket vs leading a more fulfilling life. File drawer problem, influence of large pharmaceutical companies

Child

• Bowlby’s monotropic theory, greater pressure on mothers, excusing fathers from caregiving. Pressure to have continuous relationship, negative consequences of deprivation as affectionless psychopathy, blame and guilt. Informs policy, child benefits paid to women  

• Autism explanation, socially sensitive issues of a biological explanation leading to a biological drug ‘cure.’ Theory of Mind Hypothesis and idea that autistic individuals lack empathy has been thought to contribute to harmful stereotypes (Happe) 

• Publishing that Type B is most common attachment type and most desired (Ainsworth) can cause guilt in parents. Cross cultural differences not taken into account 

• VI + K cultural bias in labelling attachment styles (Miyake, Sagi and Grossman) 

Learning

• Knowledge of social learning theory and conditioning, idea that behaviours can be shaped - marketing or advertising strategies, fear-based propaganda in politics, using fear and distress to control behaviours, emotional manipulation and torture/interrogation techniques used in war 

• Watson and Rayner: no informed consent, lack of extinction of fear